Humphrey AI Assistant Helps Councils Save Time and Money on Admin Tasks

Government Trials ‘Humphrey’ AI Tool to Help Local Authorities Cut Costs

The UK government is trialling an AI assistant named Humphrey, inspired by the clever civil servant in the 1980s comedy series Yes Minister. This initiative, led by the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT), aims to reduce administrative burdens in local councils and central government, particularly in areas like planning and social care.

How the ‘Minute’ Tool Supports Local Councils

Currently, 25 local councils are testing a component of Humphrey called Minute. This tool helps speed up note-taking during meetings and across various services, including those related to planning—a critical bottleneck in the government’s target to build 1.5 million homes by 2030.

Minute also assists social care workers and supervisors by generating detailed meeting summaries with options to quickly edit and improve notes. This allows staff to spend less time on paperwork and more on essential duties.

Benefits and Early Results

Early trials within central government revealed that officials save about an hour of admin work for every hour spent in meetings using Minute. Nearly half of the participants reported that note-taking was the least enjoyable part of their job, highlighting the tool’s potential to improve workplace satisfaction and efficiency.

Addressing Challenges in Local Government Digital Services

Local councils manage services that directly affect daily life, yet they often lack support in adopting new digital technologies. The government’s State of Digital Government Review found that councils spend £5 billion annually on technology but have only half the digital specialists needed. Moreover, 320 local authorities negotiate technology contracts independently, missing out on potential savings through collective bargaining.

DSIT plans to improve data sharing between councils and other public bodies and encourage joint contract negotiations and sharing of best practices. This approach is part of a broader effort to achieve £45 billion in productivity savings across the civil service by digitising government services.

Looking Ahead

AI and digital government minister Feryal Clark emphasized the importance of supporting local councils with technology tools that help them deliver better services. The Humphrey suite, starting with Minute, represents an initial step in this direction.

"From parking permits to planning permission, these services impact our daily lives. For too long, local councils have been left to manage without sufficient support in AI and digital innovation," Clark said. "We’re committed to helping councils buy and build the technology they need to serve their communities more effectively."

For those interested in how AI tools can improve government workflows and administrative tasks, exploring tailored AI training courses can be valuable. Resources like Complete AI Training’s latest courses offer practical guidance on adopting AI in public sector roles.